The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 241. Intruders (1/2)

Chapter 241: 241. Intruders (1/2)

Hawk and GG clutched the edges of Serena’s hospital bed, their expressions lewd and flushed as if caught in the throes of some forbidden fantasy. Behind them, Tyler loomed, his movements synchronized with their suggestive postures. The room was charged with a surreal intensity.

But then, all at once, the illusion shattered. Both Hawk and GG jolted upright from their beds, gasping for air.

"Ahh... strange dreams again," Hawk muttered, her hand pressed against her forehead as if trying to wipe away the remnants of the vivid hallucination.

GG glanced around, disoriented and visibly disturbed. "What was that...?" she murmured.

The hospital doctor entered the room, his expression serious but calm. "Ah, you’re awake," he said, glancing between the two women. "You’ve both been affected by the poison, though only mildly."

"Poison?" Hawk and GG asked in unison.

The doctor nodded, his demeanor clinical. "Yes, the substance in your bloodstream is a derivative of Abyssal Poison. For you, the effects are less severe, manifesting primarily as mild delusions and disorientation."

Hawk frowned. "Delusions? You mean... those dreams weren’t real?"

"That’s correct," the doctor affirmed. "The poison plays tricks on the mind, making you believe in fantasies that never occurred. It’s a common side effect."

"Is there any way to cure it?" GG asked, concern evident in her voice.

The doctor paused for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Just let it out."

Both women blinked in confusion. "Let it out?" GG repeated.

"Yup, enjoy it fully," the doctor said cryptically, a faint smirk crossing his lips before he left the room.

GG and Hawk exchanged puzzled glances, neither fully understanding the doctor’s advice, but neither willing to explore it further—at least not yet.

---

Meanwhile, at the Elite Academy of Magic and Technology...

With Serena, Hawk, GG, and Tyler absent, the once silent academy was even more eerily silent. Its halls, once filled with the hum of research and the clinking of tools, now resembled desolate ruins in the middle of a desert.

A sleek transportation vehicle approached the academy, its exterior appearing small and unassuming. Yet, within its confines, the space was far larger, accommodating twenty Master-level Immortal Practitioners.

The occupants were a diverse group: elves with pointed ears and sharp eyes, lizardmen with glistening scales, a deer girl with twitching ears, a hulking bunny man with rippling muscles, and several humans, each with a distinct air of expertise.

A man seated at the front clapped his hands to gain the team’s attention. His presence was commanding, his tone sharp and direct. "Listen up," he began. "This is a golden opportunity. With the academy abandoned, infiltrating it will be a piece of cake."

He stood and began pacing the vehicle as he continued. "Our mission is twofold. First, locate and secure the core technology of the Waypoint Terminals. Second, retrieve all materials related to ’Project T.’"

The mention of "Project T" elicited a ripple of intrigue among the team. It was no secret that this was Head Serena’s groundbreaking project, shrouded in secrecy and rumored to hold immense power and value.

The transportation vehicle glided effortlessly to the academy’s entrance, passing by the weathered, scrambled letters adorning the archway.

"Is it safe?" the deer girl asked, her ears twitching nervously.

The leader scoffed. "Of course. Serena’s out of commission thanks to the poison. Even if the alarm systems activate, no one is here to respond. The academy’s defenses require manual operation, and without anyone present to activate them, this place is as good as defenseless."

His confidence was palpable, though his tone betrayed a hint of arrogance. "Patents and protections mean nothing if we get the research and core and flee to the farthest reaches of the north. No one will be able to track us there."

The vehicle touched down within the academy grounds. The team disembarked, their boots crunching softly against the gravel as they surveyed the silent campus.

"Move out," the leader ordered, gesturing toward a crumbling office building.

The deer girl, equipped with a sophisticated scanning device embedded in her watch, approached a nearby table littered with papers. She scanned them quickly, her watch’s interface glowing faintly as it processed the information.

"These documents are useless," she announced, her interest waning as she brushed the papers aside.

"Then focus on the objective," the leader barked. "We’re heading to Lab 1. That’s where Serena’s core research and Project T materials are stored."

The group moved through the deserted halls, their footsteps echoing ominously. Despite the leader’s reassurances, a faint tension hung in the air, an unspoken fear of the unknown lurking within the academy’s shadows.

The elf suddenly paused, his pointed ears twitching as his eyes darted in one direction. "There’s someone here," he said, his tone sharp and alert.

"Of course, it’s us... baka," another elf retorted with a smirk, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The first elf shot him a glare, his expression unyielding. "Tsk. I mean someone else. An enemy."

That silenced the group. Faces turned grim as their weapons were gripped tighter. They moved cautiously, scanning their surroundings. It wasn’t long before they heard the faint sound of... munching? It came from a nearby building, one with a faded sign that read Canteen.

"Are there still workers here?" a lizardman asked, hefting his giant axe onto his shoulder.

"No," another member replied with a shake of his head. "From what I’ve heard, this place is too broke to hire cooks. They probably use machines to make the food."

The group exchanged uneasy glances. Though they were loath to admit it, something about the situation felt off. Weapons at the ready, they approached the canteen. None dared to use divine sense, wary of alerting any potential enemy to their presence.

The leader nodded at the deer girl, signaling her to take point. With a decisive kick, she slammed the door open, and the group surged inside.

They froze.

Sitting at a table was a young girl, her appearance both innocent and unnerving. Black horns curled from her head, and leathery, bat-like wings streaked with glowing, molten-red patterns rested against her back. She was casually munching on a sandwich.

Zuzia, the girl, glanced up at the intruders. For a moment, her bright eyes met theirs. Then, without a word, she turned back to the machine beside her, pressed a button, and waited as robotic arms swiftly prepared another sandwich. She grabbed it, took a bite, and continued eating as though they weren’t even there.

"...Just a kid?" one murmured, lowering his weapon slightly.

"She doesn’t seem dangerous," another added, though his grip on his sword remained firm.

The leader narrowed his eyes, motioning for silence. He turned to the deer girl and gestured for her to act.

She nodded, vanishing from sight in an instant. Within a heartbeat, she reappeared behind Zuzia, knife poised to strike. Her blade descended swiftly, aimed at the girl’s neck.

*Clank.*

The sound was sharp and metallic, resonating through the room. The deer girl’s knife stopped dead in its tracks, as though it had struck a steel plate instead of flesh. Pain shot up her arm, leaving her hand numb from the impact.

Zuzia paused mid-bite, her wings twitching slightly. Slowly, she turned her head, her expression one of mild confusion. Her gaze fell on the deer girl, who stood frozen in place.

"Steak?" Zuzia said, tilting her head as though appraising a potential meal.

The deer girl’s blood ran cold. For a split second, she felt like prey, a helpless creature caught in the gaze of a predator. Panic surged through her, and she leapt back, her heart hammering in her chest.

"What are you doing? Just kill her already!" the lizardman snapped, his patience wearing thin. With a growl, he swung his massive axe in a wide arc, aiming to cleave Zuzia in two.

A streak of light flashed as the blade carved through the air. The deer girl barely managed to dodge, throwing herself to the side. But Zuzia? She didn’t even flinch.

The axe connected with the canteen walls, obliterating them. The building shook violently as debris scattered, and a cloud of dust engulfed the room.

"Heh. She’s frozen in fear," the lizardman sneered, convinced his display of strength had intimidated the girl.

The deer girl staggered to her feet, fury etched across her features. She stormed over to the lizardman, shouting, "What the hell was that?! Did you not see I was standing there? You almost hit me!"

The lizardman smirked, unfazed by her outburst. "Hmph." His eyes roamed over her, lecherous and unapologetic. "Maybe you should watch where you’re standing next time."

The deer girl’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. She clenched her fists, glaring daggers at him.

Meanwhile, Zuzia stood amidst the destruction, brushing dust off her shoulders. She yawned, seemingly bored by the chaos around her. Her eyes, half-lidded with disinterest, swept over the intruders.

She took another bite of sandwich but she bit the air.

She looked at her hand.

"My Sandwich... Gone?"

Soon a big pressure surfaced in the academy.

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